1
And Davidfled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and saidbeforeJonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sinbefore thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2
And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will donothing either great or small, but that he will shew* it me: and why should my fatherhide this thing from me? it is not so.
3
And Davidsware moreover, and said, Thy fathercertainlyknoweth that I have foundgrace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathanknow this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORDliveth, and as thy soulliveth, there is but a step between me and death.
5
And Davidsaid unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
6
If thy father at allmiss me, then say, Davidearnestlyasked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearlysacrifice there for all the family.
8
Therefore thou shalt dealkindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity,slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9
And Jonathansaid, Far be it from thee: for if I knewcertainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
12
And Jonathansaid unto David, O LORDGod of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew* it thee;
13
The LORDdoso and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew* it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
15
But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my houseforever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
19
And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go downquickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remainby the stoneEzel.
20
And I will shootthreearrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
yil -x;L;v.l h,rw{a h'Dic ~yiCix;h t,v{l.v yin]a;w ? h'r'J;m.l
21
And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expresslysay unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORDliveth.
25
And the kingsat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathanarose, and Abnersat by Saul'sside, and David'splace was empty.
27
And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David'splace was empty: and Saulsaid unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
29
And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have foundfavour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king'stable.
30
Then Saul'sanger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverserebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother'snakedness?
31
For as long as the son of Jesseliveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die*.
34
So Jonathanarose from the table in fierceanger, and did eat no meat the secondday of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
41
And as soon as the lad was gone, Davidarose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself threetimes: and they kissedoneanother, and weptone with another, until Davidexceeded.
42
And Jonathansaid to David,Go in peace, forasmuch as we have swornboth of us in the name of the LORD,saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seedforever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathanwent into the city.